Wheel-guard and track-cleaner



(No Model.)

H. M. GREAGER.

WHEEL GUARD AND TRACK CLEANER.

No. 340,561. Patented A rpzvi 1886.

FIG.1.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY M. CREAGER, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO EVERETT B. FOX, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

WHEEL-GUARD AND TRACK-CLEANER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 340,561, dated April 27, 1886.

Application filed December 22, 1885. Serial No. 186,421.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY M. CREAGER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oincinnati, in the county of Hamilton, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined IVheel-Gua-rds and Track- Cleaners, of which the following is a specification, reference being hadtherein to the accompanying drawings.

The object of my invention is to furnish a safety attachment that will perform the twofold purpose of preventing people being run over by street-cars and of removing stones and other similar loose obstructions from the tracks in advance of the front wheels, the con struction of this combined Wheel-guard and track-cleaner being, briefly, as follows: Each axle-box of the car has a depending hanger, which is slotted or otherwise arranged to permit vertical play of a pair of bars disposed longitudinally of and on opposite sides of the car, said bars having attached to them the guards and cleaners just alluded to. These guards or fenders consist of sheet-metal plates inclosing the front portions of the wheels and extending down almost to the tracks, the cleaners being located behind said guards and attached to the side bars. Each cleaner consists ofa plate having at its lower enda hinged toe-piece disposed obliquely with reference to the tracks, and adapted to swing rearwardly in case of contact with the end of a rail or other immovable obstruction. Suitable treadles and levers are attached to the car, in order that the entire attachment may be elevated bodily when occasion requires, as hereinafter more fully described.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a streetcar provided with my safety attachment, the central portion of said car and attachment being broken away. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the front portion of the attachment, taken in the plane of its side bars. Fig. 3 is an enlarged rear elevation of one of track-cleaners and its accessories. Fig. 4 is a vertical section of said cleaner. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a modification of my invention. Fig. 6 is an enlarged front elevation of one of the hangers, the side bar fitted therein being sectioned.

A represents a portion of a street-car, and

(No model.)

B O are respectively the front and rear wheels of the same, the axles of said wheels being journaled in boxes or similar bearings, D, of the pedestals or housings E. Depending rigidly from each axle-box are hangers F, that must be slotted vertically, as seen at f in Figs. 5 and 6, or otherwise arranged to permit free play of a pair of longitudinal side bars, G G, which are maintained in their 6 the oppo- 5 7 K 1s a brace extending from the side bar to the plate I, the lower end of the latter having a toe-piece, L, hinged thereto, which piece is maintained in its normal position by a spring,

Z. These plates I I, together with their re 7 5 spective toe-pieces L L, constitute the trackcleaners, and are disposed obliquely with reference to the rails M M. Attached to the front portions of the side bars, G G, and adapted to inclose the trackcleaners, are guards or fenders N N, preferably of sheet metal, said fenders being united by a cross plate or bar, it. These fenders house in sufiicient of the front portions of the wheels B to prevent anyperson being run 8 over by the latter, this arrangement of guards being duplicated around the hind wheels, 0 as at O. Y

o is a cross bar or plate connecting the rear fenders or guards. I

P I? are side plates attached, respectively, to the bars G G, and extending from the front to the rear pedestals.

' Attached to the cross-bars 11. 0 are links 1- r of levers R R, the latter being pivoted to the 5 under side of the platforms and operated by treadles S S, convenient to the drivers feet.

Then my safety attachment is properly adjusted to a car, the toe-pieces L L are about half an inch above the tracks M M, being main- IOO tained in this position by the side bars, G G, resting in the slots f of the hangers F; but the guard-plates or fenders N N O P 1? do not extend down as far as said toe-pieces. These fenders prevent any person being run over by the car-wheels,while the oblique toe-pieces deflect stones and other loose obstructions away from the rails, the springs Z being sufficiently stiff to hold said toe-pieces in their rigid position while performing this duty; but in case said pieces should come in contact either with a spike, rail end, or other immovable obstacle the springs will allow said toes to swing rearwardly until the obstruction is passed, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 4.

If the car should run off the track, and considerable room should be required to operate under the wheels, the driver has only to depress the proper treadle,S or S,which act elevates the bars G G within the slots f of the hangers, thus raising the entire safety attachment, and allowing the most convenient access for applying a frog or car-replacer.

The above is a description of the attachment as applied to a car to which the horses can be hitched at either end; but when the horses are to be fastened to one end of the same said safety attachment is arranged as seen in Fig. 5. Here the side bar G is shown pivoted to I the rear hanger at T, and the rear fenders, 0,

are omitted; but the sidefender, P, is used, as indicated by the dotted lines. \Vith this exception the attachment is the same as seen in the previous illustrations, the treadle S being necessarily fitted on the front platform of the car.

Whichever construction may be adopted, it will be noticed that the pedestals or housings E are free to play vertically without in the least interfering with the safety attachment, because the hangers F, that support said attachment, depend from the boxes D. Therefore the attachment willnot be affected by the vibrations of the car. A small wheel, U, (seen in Fig. 5,) may be journaled in the fender so as to ride on the rail, and thus automatically raise the attachment and cause it to clear any slight obstructions on the track. Finally, it is evident that either form of my apparatus can be readily detached from the truck by simply unbolting or otherwise disconnecting the slotted hangers F f from the axle-boxes D, and without interfering with any other part of the runninggear of the street or other car.

, I claim as my invention- 1. A wheel-guard consisting of a pair of side bars adapted to be raised and lowered within vertically-slotted hangers depending from the axle-boxes of a car, the front ends of said bars being provided with fenders, for thepurpose described.

2. A combined Wheel-guard and trackcleaner consisting of apair of side bars adapted to be raised and lowered within hangers depending from the ZtXIG'bOXQS of a car, the front ends of said bars being provided with fenders and obliquely-disposed cleaners, for the purpose specified.

3. The combination, in a wheel-guard and track-cleaner, of boxes D, slotted hangers F f, side bars.G Gg g, obliquely-disposed cleaners I L 1 L,wheel-guards N N, cross-rod a, link 0', pivoted lever B, and treadle S, for the purpose specified.

4. A wheel-guard consisting of a pair of side bars adapted to be raised and lowered within vertically-slotted hangers depending from the axle-boxes of a car, the front and rear ends of said bars being provided with fenders, as herein described.

5. In combination with the side bars, G G, of a wheel-guard and track-cleaner supported in vertically-slotted hangers, as herein described, the adjustable collars H and cushions h, for the purpose described.

6. A safety attachment consisting of a fender secured to a pair of side bars that automatically rise within slotted hangers secured to the axle-boxes when a wheel of said fender comes in contact with an obstruction, as herein described.

7. A wheel-guard consisting of a pair of side bars adapted to be raised and lowered within vertically-slotted hangers depending from the axle-boxes of a car, the front and rear ends of said bars being provided with fenders, and the central portions of said bars being furnished with side plates, P P, for the purpose herein described.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HARRY M. OREAGER.

Witnesses:

J AMES H. LAYMAN, JONATHAN OREAGER. 

